As the Illinois River rises through the streets, homes and businesses of Spring Bay, so does the doubt that some buildings will ever recover.

The record-breaking flood has left local landmark Bemer’s Village Inn and all of Lake Street under several feet of water.

“We’re just going to have to wait and see what the damages are. The way the economy has been, it’s going to be real tough to build and open it back up,” co-owner Brad Rohman said. “It’s been a very emotional weekend. It’s heartbreaking.”

Patrons packed the restaurant and bar in the hours before floodwaters reached the business for a farewell tenderloin or to escape their own filling basements.

“We were open until closing time Saturday night, and we had a full bar all night,” Rohman said, looking out at the river formerly known as Lake Street. “A lot of people had to get away from this terrible situation.”

Forty-five homes were affected in the village by Monday afternoon as the river approached crest levels, according to fire Chief Dennis Perry.

Jared and Jamie Teegarden took a unique approach in protecting their home. When the couple moved in four months ago, the surveyor said only a record flood would jeopardize their new home — and he was right.

On Friday night, Jared Teegarden and friends such as Nick Keichley started to stack up more than 200 tons of sand around the property at Caroline and Lake streets. By Saturday afternoon, the group had constructed a makeshift levee around the yard.

“If we did our math correct, the wall is about a foot higher than the water should be,” Keichley said Monday afternoon. “Everyone said it wouldn’t be possible, but we’re proving them wrong.”

While neighbors were forced to leave their homes and face major property damage, the Teegardens were able to escape with a soggy lawn and about an inch of water in the basement.

“When we bought the house, there were kids walking down that line of trees,” Jamie Teegarden said, pointing to limbs rising from the muddy water. “There was a little seating area with picnic tables,” she said of a spot where only a sign was visible, barely above the water.

But even the rising flood couldn’t displace some of Spring Bay’s most determined residents.

Ron Urban refused to leave his home despite 16 inches of water pouring into the basement. Instead, he used a rowboat to get to and from his house at 129 Leisure Lane, which was surrounded by water.

Two people stayed in a Red Cross shelter at RiversEdge United Methodist Church equipped to accommodate up to 50. On Sunday, the Red Cross delivered almost 40 meals to workers throughout the community and those who visited the church.

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The Red Cross provided shelter, meals and cleanup kits to residents affected by the flood.

“Our main goal is to ensure we take care of anyone who comes in here and has needs,” shelter manager Walt Lockhart said.

Laura Nightengale can be reached at 686-3181 or lnightengale@pjstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @lauranight.